Medical school continues speech-hearing program collaboration with China

On December 5, professors from the Kunming Medical University in southwestern China visited the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to continue an extraordinary collaboration with the medical school. Earlier this year, Kunming Medical University realized a groundbreaking accomplishment—achieved with assistance from the UH medical school—establishing China’s first-ever accredited academic program in speech and hearing.

“There are 1.3 billion people in China and the government is strategically trying to improve the training of health professionals, especially rehab professionals in China,” said Zhiyong Luo, director of rehabilitation medicine and professor at Kunming Medical University. “Most importantly, the people really need rehabilitation.”

During the past year, JABSOM’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has focused heavily on building international bridges with speech-language programs in other countries, including Japan, Taiwan and China.